Cavaliers Clinch Top Seed in Eastern Conference with Win vs. Hawks

A year after failing to capture the top seed in the Eastern Conference as the Atlanta Hawks experienced an epiphanic regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers locked up home-court advantage throughout the first three rounds of the postseason with a 109-94 win over the Hawks on Monday.

Now guaranteed the No. 1 seed, the Cavaliers can focus their attention on capturing back-to-back Eastern Conference titles.

The road ahead won't be easy since the East boasts more depth than it did a year ago, with squads such as the Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets all emanating positive vibes, but Cleveland is the most talented team among that crop.

With LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love leading the way, the Cavaliers rank No. 4 overall with an offensive rating of 108.2, which is also good for the top mark among all Eastern Conference clubs. Furthermore, Cleveland owns a plus-6.0 net rating, which is 1.7 points better than the next-closest competitor in the East.

No one should overlook the Cavaliers' depth, either. Although the team has struggled with consistency since Tyronn Lue took over as head coach, the Cavaliers have a bevy of versatile players who can help them match up with even the most imposing big or small lineups.

For instance, Cleveland's most heavily used lineup, which consists of James, Irving, Love, J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson, has outscored opponents by 12.4 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.

"We've had some ups and downs, but for the most part, we've had way more ups," James said, per NBA.com's Steve Aschburner. "For our team, we're in a good place right now. ... It's a perfect time to be clicking, and we're clicking right now, so it's perfect for our team, and everyone feels in a good rhythm offensively and defensively."

Following all of the controversy—or faux controversy—that appeared to be consuming the team a month ago, the Cavaliers are frighteningly strong. They've already surpassed their 2014-15 win total (53), and the pieces are falling into place at the right time with the spotlight ready to shine bright. 

"Our group has been tested," James said, per Aschburner. "Not a lot, but we've been tested enough for a series starting next weekend."

Whether they face the Detroit Pistons or Indiana Pacers in the first round, the defending Eastern Conference champions should roll into the playoff party primed to wreak havoc and assert their dominance again.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com unless noted otherwise.